A condom breaks, a woman realizes she forgot to take her pill, or a woman on a date is raped by her acquaintance. These happen more than we'd like to think and millions of women, including those using a regular method of birth control, find themselves in need of a way to prevent pregnancy quickly.

Emergency contraception (EC) can help a woman do just that, and the sooner she takes it, the better it works. Unfortunately, this same woman can face delays, confusion or outright denials at the pharmacy counter.

Many of these delays may now be a thing of the past based on last week's ruling by Judge Edward Korman, appointed originally by President Ronald Reagan. Basing his decision on a careful examination of scientific evidence, Judge Korman categorically stated that the FDA must make this form of EC "available without a prescription and without point-of-sale or age restrictions within thirty days."

He called out the political shenanigans that have kept this safe and effective contraceptive product behind the pharmacy counter and out of reach. Though the FDA has found emergency contraception safe and effective, political appointees in both the Bush and the Obama administrations have stalled, hindered and otherwise avoided making it available without restrictions.

While women's health advocates celebrate this ruling and look forward to seeing Plan B on store shelves soon, we are watching closely to be sure the administration doesn't create further delays. President Obama originally said he supported Health and Human Secretary Kathleen Sebelius' 2011 decision -- rejecting FDA's own recommendation to make Plan B available without restrictions. Fast-forward to the decision from Judge Korman: Now is the time for the administration to re-examine the evidence and follow the White House's own directives to protect scientific integrity from political considerations.

No woman should have to wait, or panic, when the pharmacy is closed -- especially at night or on weekends. Judge Korman's decision reflects what the medical community and women's health advocates have known for years -- that emergency contraception does not require medical gatekeeping and is safe and effective over the counter.

Susannah Baruch is the president of the Reproductive Health Technologies Project.

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